SB 109 appropriates $15,816,579 from the Education Trust Fund to Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. These funds are designated for the support and maintenance of the university's educational programs, including at least $2,000,000 for agricultural research and extension services, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. Prior to receiving any funds, Tuskegee University must submit an operations plan and an audited financial statement. The bill also requires quarterly reports and an end-of-year performance report detailing expenditures and accomplishments.
SB 114 is a supplemental appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2025 that allocates additional funds from the Education Trust Fund (ETF). It provides specific funding for several educational projects. This includes $300,000 for the completion of an education laboratory at Billingsley School in Autauga County. The bill also allocates $250,000 for tennis courts at Mortimer Jordan High School and $3,000,000 for new classroom construction at a Career Technical Center, directly affecting these schools and their students through facility improvements.
SB 112 appropriates funds from the Education Trust Fund for the support and development of public education for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. The bill details specific funding adjustments across various programs, setting per-unit allocations for classroom materials, technology, professional development, and library enhancement within the Foundation Program. It expands eligibility for speech pathologist salary supplements to include those at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and Department of Youth Services School District, and allocates funds for the Montgomery Pre-K Pilot Program and United Ability. Additionally, the bill appropriates $38 million from excess prior-year funds, with $35 million earmarked for the CHOOSE Act Fund if needed, and $3 million for the Public Library Service if federal funding decreases.
HB 540 revises how Randolph County distributes the proceeds from its local tobacco tax, directly affecting various public services and non-profit organizations within the county. The bill amends an existing law to specify new percentage allocations for these tax proceeds. Under the revised plan, funds are directed to volunteer fire departments and the Randolph County Rescue Squad (32%), the Randolph County Industrial Development Council for economic development (24%), the county's general fund (24%), the Randolph County Equine and Agricultural Association (10%), and the Randolph County Animal Shelter (10%). It also includes stipulations on how certain recipients, such as fire departments and the Equine and Agricultural Association, may use their allocated funds, often prohibiting their use for salaries.
HJR 40 expresses legislative support for the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Crisis Recovery Support Network. This network aims to provide sustained, long-term counseling capacity to educational institutions and communities in the SREB region following natural disasters, school shootings, and public emergencies. The SREB, in collaboration with state and local education stakeholders, would deploy specially trained counselors to schools in extreme need, focusing on healing and psychological resilience. The network will also hire a coordinator and cover travel costs for these counselors during training and deployment.
HJR 22 expands the existing Purple Star Schools Program, which recognizes K-12 schools committed to supporting children of active duty military families. Currently, this program is open only to public schools. This resolution makes private K-12 schools eligible to participate in the Purple Star Schools Program. It also expands the program's committee to include one representative for private K-12 education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
HJR 163 establishes a Joint Interim Study Commission dedicated to examining court costs. This commission will include various members, such as district attorneys, a representative from the County Commissions of Alabama, and the Executive Director of the Office of Prosecution Services. Its purpose is to bring together legal and county officials to review the current structure and impact of court costs.
SB 314 authorizes the Shelby County Commission to levy an additional annual fee of up to two dollars on motor vehicle licenses and registrations. This fee applies to new registrations, transfers, and renewals for vehicles within Shelby County. The proceeds collected from this fee will be distributed monthly to the Shelby County Sheriff's Law Enforcement Fund to support law enforcement operations. This additional funding is intended to supplement, not replace, existing financial resources for the sheriff's office.
SB 293 allows the Lee County Commission to grant an additional exemption from mandatory solid waste collection fees. This exemption is available to households in Lee County whose total income does not exceed 75 percent of the federal poverty level. The Lee County Commission is also authorized to adopt rules and regulations to implement these provisions.
HB 387 revises the rules for how local governments can adjust their sales tax on food. Currently, counties and municipalities can reduce their local sales tax rate on food by a maximum of 25%, but only if their general fund grew by over two percent in the prior year. This bill would eliminate both that 25 percent limit on the rate reduction and the requirement to meet the growth target. This change would give county and municipal governing bodies more flexibility in setting their local sales tax rates on food.
HR 316 is a resolution from the Alabama House of Representatives that mourns the death and celebrates the life of Alexis Herman. The resolution recognizes her impactful career as a public servant, including her historic role as the first African American U.S. Secretary of Labor.
HB 53 creates a rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody and equal or approximately equal parenting time with both parents is in the best interest of the child. It requires courts to document their reasons if they deviate from this presumption and establishes uniform guidelines for other custody arrangements. The bill mandates that all parties in custody matters submit a parenting plan, outlining remedies like makeup parenting time for non-adherence. Additionally, it removes outdated language regarding a husband's automatic custody in cases of abandonment by the wife.
